Anesthesia Malpractice

There are a number of possible malpractice claims involving the use of anesthesia. Anesthesiologists can give excessive drugs or choose the wrong drugs to administer. Or they can fail to adequately monitor a patient’s vital signs while anesthetized. When a patient has other medical risks, such as cardiovascular disease, special care must be taken to prevent adverse events while the patient is anesthetized.

Certain kinds of anesthesia, such as local or regional anesthesia, carry risks of injuring nerves, vessels, or even the spinal cord during needle insertions. Finally, anesthesiologists have a shared responsibility for positioning the upper body during surgery to avoid undue pressure on nerves or vessels.

Client Case Study

Negligent Anesthesia

John, a 33-year-old man, was admitted to the hospital for a lumbar fusion procedure. He had previously suffered a work-related back injury in his job. The surgery was a two-stage procedure separated by two days. During the second stage, the anesthesiologist administered the epidural anesthesia in a negligent manner resulting in bradycardia. He then failed to respond in time to prevent John from suffering a cardiac arrest, lack of oxygen to the brain, and extensive brain damage. As a result of the injury, John became totally disabled.

CMG was retained by John's family, which included his two minor children, and filed suit against the anesthesiologist and the hospital. After extensive litigation, which included many depositions and expert witnesses, we successfully obtained a multi-million-dollar settlement compensating John for his injuries and lost income, two years of care at a special facility for brain-damaged individuals, and 24-hour care at his home later. We also recovered compensation for his children for the damage they suffered because of their father's injuries.